There are seasons when League One quietly goes about its business, and there are seasons when the wider football world pays attention. This feels like the latter. The presence of Leicester City — Premier League champions a decade ago and returning to the third tier for the first time since 2009 — guarantees a certain kind of scrutiny. Sheffield Wednesday, meanwhile, are beginning what the club is billing as a new era under fresh ownership. On paper, both clubs carry the weight of expectation that comes with a big badge and a big support.

And yet, for all the noise around the division's more glamorous names, it is often the clubs with nothing to prove who cause the most trouble. Bromley won the League Two title last season and step up to League One for the first time in their history. Their opening-day win at Barnsley suggested the occasion has not overwhelmed them. For a club of that size, simply being here is the achievement. Everything else is a bonus, and sides playing with that kind of freedom are rarely easy opponents.

The big two and their respective burdens

Leicester's situation needs little elaboration. The expectation, according to observers close to the club, is straightforward: promotion, and as quickly as possible. Whether they pursue it through the automatic places or via the play-offs matters less than the destination. The squad depth they carry into this division ought to make them uncomfortable opponents week in, week out, but third-tier football has its own rhythms and its own awkward away days. Four games is four games, and a Notts County draw on the opening weekend was a reminder that nothing is handed over.

Sheffield Wednesday's position is more nuanced. New ownership brings energy and, inevitably, uncertainty. Matt Moore has already reflected publicly on the changes at the club, and his coaching staff has been reshaped with the addition of Matthew Hamshaw. Whether that administrative upheaval helps or hinders on the pitch over a 46-game season remains to be seen. Wednesday have the infrastructure of a Championship club competing a tier below. Whether that translates into points is a different question entirely.

The clubs with something to build

Barnsley go into the campaign under Daniel Stendel for a second time, which is either reassuring or a sign of stalled progress depending on your perspective. Stendel guided the club to the Championship in 2018-19 and his return has been welcomed. The challenge is that last season's top three scorers — McGoldrick, Keillor-Dunn and Phillips — have all left Oakwell. A young squad built on pressing and energy can go a long way in this division, but goals have to come from somewhere. Patrick Kelly, 21, looks the likeliest source of inspiration in midfield.

Stockport County arrive in the campaign after their own opening-day confidence booster, a 3-1 win that manager McNulty credited squarely to his players. Their ambitions, as McNulty has outlined, stretch well beyond mere survival. Mansfield Town, fresh off the back of a 2-1 win against Doncaster, look organised under a manager who is clearly demanding more than last season's efforts. Both clubs have the look of sides targeting the top half, even if they are being careful about saying so publicly.

The ones who just need to keep their heads

AFC Wimbledon finished 19th last season, which is the kind of position that concentrates the mind. Manager Johnnie Jackson has brought in Dan Sweeney from Stevenage on a free and retained Steve Seddon, while Marcus Browne is identified as the player capable of unlocking defences on his day. The assessment of Wimbledon from those who watch them closely is blunt: defensively solid, but prone to inconsistency in runs of form. In a division this competitive, streakiness is a luxury few clubs can afford.

Stevenage were held to a 1-1 draw by Burton in their opening fixture, a reminder that last season's League Two status for some of these sides means the step up in quality will be felt. Bradford, meanwhile, drew a pointed reaction from Peterborough's manager after a 2-0 win, with Alexander speaking about wanting Bradford to be "the ultimate team." It is early-season rhetoric, but it points to a club with genuine ambition rather than one simply grateful to be competing.

The division's texture, then, looks about right. Big clubs under pressure, smaller clubs with freedom, and a middle tier of sides capable of beating anyone on their day. Forty-six games to sort it all out.

Frequently asked

Which clubs are favourites to win League One in 2026-27?
Leicester City are widely regarded as the team to beat given their resources and history, with Sheffield Wednesday also among the fancied sides. Stockport County and Mansfield Town are considered strong contenders for the play-off places.
Is this Bromley's first ever season in League One?
Yes. Bromley won the League Two title in 2025-26 and have been promoted to the third tier for the first time in the club's history.
Who is the manager of Barnsley for the 2026-27 season?
Daniel Stendel returned to Oakwell this summer for a second spell, replacing Conor Hourihane. Stendel previously guided Barnsley to the Championship in 2018-19.